Konawaena turning
heads in top spot
The Konawaena Wildcats are undefeated in the regular season, but it's what they did in the preseason that is turning heads.
A heavy favorite to win the Big Island Interscholastic Federation title, the Wildcats (4-0) defeated two of Oahu's best girls basketball teams at the St. Joseph Classic last month -- Kalaheo in the semifinal and Kahuku in the title game.
Those two victories impressed Star-Bulletin Top 10 voters enough to rank the Wildcats No. 1 in the first poll of the season.
Kahuku (4-0), which beat Konawaena in the first meeting of the year between the two teams at the Punahou Classic, is right behind at No. 2.
Two Interscholastic League of Honolulu teams -- Punahou (4-0) and Iolani (4-0) -- check in at No. 3 and No. 4. The Buffanblu and Raiders play tonight for sole possession of first place in the league.
Aside from Kahuku, three Oahu Interscholastic Association East Division teams landed in the top 10 -- Kalaheo (3-1) at No. 5, McKinley (2-1) at No. 8 and Kaiser (3-1) at No. 10.
Despite 2-2 records, two ILH teams -- Kamehameha and Maryknoll -- entered the poll at No. 6 and No. 7, while Maui Interscholastic League-leading Baldwin (5-0) is ranked No. 9 after beating previously unbeaten Maui High last week.
Star-Bulletin Top 10
The top 10 high school girls basketball teams, according to a poll of media statewide.
RANK TEAM RECORD POINTS LAST WEEK 1 Konawaena (5) 4-0 68 -- Last week: def. Waiakea 75-14; def. Pahoa 78-15 This week: vs. Ka'u, Thurs.; at Hilo, Sat. 2 Kahuku (2) 4-0 65 -- Last week: def. Kailua 91-21; def. Kalani 76-62 This week: at McKinley, Sat. 3 Punahou 4-0 56 -- Last week: def. Mid-Pacific 41-34; def. Kamehameha 37-33 This week: vs. Iolani, tonight; vs. Maryknoll, Sat. 4 Iolani 4-0 47 -- Last week: def. Maryknoll 52-46; def. Sacred Hearts 45-31 This week: at Punahou, tonight; vs. St. Francis, Sat. 5 Kalaheo 3-1 41 -- Last week: lost to Moanalua 41-39; def. Kaimuki 62-33 This week: vs. Roosevelt, tomorrow; at Kaimuki, Sat. 6 Kamehameha 2-2 31 -- Last week: lost to Punahou 37-33 This week: vs. Maryknoll, at HBA, tonight; at Sac. Hearts, Sat. 7 Maryknoll 2-2 18 -- Last week: lost to Iolani 52-46 This week: vs. Kamehameha, at HBA, tonight; at Punahou, Sat. 8 McKinley 2-1 16 -- Last week: def. Kaimuki 78-41; def. Roosevelt 64-43 This week: vs. McKinley, tonight; vs. Kahuku, Sat. 9 Baldwin 5-0 12 -- Last week: def. Kamehameha-Maui 69-29; def. Maui 36-22 This week: at King Kekaulike, Thurs. 10 Kaiser 3-1 8 -- Last week: def. Farrington 47-40; def. Moanalua 53-37 This week: at Kailua, tonight; at Kalani, Thurs.
Also receiving votes: Kealaheke 6, Radford 5, Lahainaluna 3, Maui 2, Roosevelt 2, Kauai 1, Mid-Pacific 1, Moanalua 1.
Media panel: Nick Abramo, Honolulu Star-Bulletin sportswriter; Dennis Anderson, Hawaii High School Athletic Association information director; Jack Danilewicz, Star-Bulletin freelance sportswriter; Dennis Fujimoto, The Garden Island sports editor; Paul Honda, hondareport.com sportswriter and Star-Bulletin freelance sportswriter; Kevin Jakahi, Hawaii Tribune-Herald sportswriter; Dana McBratney, Maui News sports editor.